Joining ITRA

My first encounter with EY was while I was still studying. At that time, I was in my second year of Engineering (Electronics & ICT) and an opportunity was presented to participate in an internship during my final year. I believed that it was the start of a promising career and would show what I was capable of; essentially, I saw it as a three-month job interview.

My main interest was in companies that offered internships related to the security aspect of information technology. On top of that, I was intrigued by financial institutions because I noticed that most of my peers didn’t see the importance or relevance of information security in that line of work. One of the companies I made contact with was EY and, during my initial application, I immediately noticed there was a spark. So I decided to join the company, and was welcomed in the Information Technology Risk and Assurance (ITRA) Team.

During my internship, I worked on building a vulnerability management framework that allows users to analyze the products and software in use through an extensive database of threats. It was an immense experience, especially when I realized it was not just a stand-alone project, but would be used as a sustainable long-term solution. It even made it to the finals of a competition in 2013.

Fast-forward to almost one year later and the project is still actively followed up by one of the most skillful members of the team. I am still astonished by the fact that I have been given the opportunity to cooperate with them. Furthermore, it enabled me to write a dissertation that is now being used as an example at my school. But the best was yet to come …

In the first six months with EY, I've made incredible connections and have been given a lot of responsibility and respect. I've had the pleasure of working on a cross-border project with some of the most driven people I've ever met. Starting my career at EY has expanded my horizons with breathtaking speed!

In the last few months, I’ve learned that, whatever you might not know, you will ultimately learn on the job. I expect our upcoming EMEIA FSO Advisory Graduate Network (EAGN) learning event to be another opportunity to learn, connect with my peers, exchange thoughts and opinions, and master difficult situations in order to be more prepared for the job. I think it will be a highlight during my first year, helping me to grow even more in my role as a financial services consultant.

My long-term goals are based on what I believe a legacy should consist of: to create a state of mind in which my actions are motivated by my passion. I feel grateful that I have found this vision at EY and, above all, that I`m able to share this with my colleagues and peers.